From Official Arms of God Wiki
Arms of God features a main campaign and additional Expeditions accessed through the Expedition Map in the Cathedral. Each offers a different structure, from Act-based progression to extended survival in Endless Mode.
Overview
| Mode | Structure | Main objective |
|---|---|---|
| Main Campaign | Four Acts, each containing 15 waves | Progress through the campaign and defeat its bosses. |
| The Endless Ascent | 15 introductory levels followed by Endless Mode from Level 16 | Develop a build, defeat Rector, and survive the increasingly difficult Endless phase. |
| Desert — The Sealed Testament | 10 longer waves ending with Ophaniel | Complete an expedition through desert ruins and a forgotten temple. |
Main Campaign
The main campaign follows the Templar's journey through a ruined world, a defiled cathedral, the catacombs beneath it, and Hell.
It consists of four Acts:
- Act I — In the Shadow of Ruins
- Act II — Reclaiming the Sanctum
- Act III — Catacombs of Blood
- Act IV — Into Hell
Each Act contains 15 waves and a boss encounter. Players develop their builds during combat and use the Cathedral's permanent progression systems to prepare for subsequent attempts.
For the narrative descriptions of each Act, see Story.
Unlocking Expeditions
Complete all four Acts on Mercy difficulty to unlock the Expedition Map in the Cathedral.
The Endless Ascent and Desert are separate Expeditions, available from Nightmare difficulty. Completing The Endless Ascent is not required to access the Desert.
The Endless Ascent
The Endless Ascent combines a 15-level expedition with an open-ended survival phase. The introductory levels provide time to develop a build before entering Endless Mode.
How to Access
- Complete the four-Act main campaign on Mercy difficulty.
- Return to the Cathedral.
- Open the Expedition Map.
- Select The Endless Ascent.
- Choose an available difficulty and Templar, then begin the expedition.
Run Structure
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Levels 1–14 | Progress through the expedition while developing your weapons and build. |
| Level 15 | Defeat Rector, the final boss of the introductory expedition. |
| Level 16 onward | Enter Endless Mode and continue surviving as the challenge escalates. |
Defeating Rector leads into the Endless phase rather than ending the expedition.
Endless Phase
Endless Mode tests how long a completed build can survive under increasing pressure. Bosses appear repeatedly, providing additional opportunities to collect Vows.
Boss selection was randomized in update v0.6. Dreadseer and Ophaniel were added to the Endless enemy roster in v0.705.
Curses
The Endless Ascent does not use the Curse system.
This allows players to test their builds without the additional random modifiers introduced by Curse selections.
Saving and Continuing
Since update v0.576, an Endless Mode save is preserved when quitting or after a crash. Continuing the run returns the player to the beginning of the last Endless wave.
Use Quit and Save when leaving a run that you intend to continue.
Abandon Crusade ends the current run and awards the earned metaprogression resources.
Leaderboards
Endless scores are recorded on global leaderboards separated by Templar class.
New seasons or major balance changes can reset the active leaderboard. Previous results remain available in the in-game Leaderboard History.
This allows scores achieved under earlier balance versions to remain accessible separately from the current competition.
Difficulty and Score
Patch v0.705 introduced the following difficulty-based score multipliers:
| Difficulty | Score multiplier |
|---|---|
| Mercy | ×1 |
| Nightmare | ×2 |
| Inferno | ×6 |
| Torment | ×24 |
This table describes the scoring multipliers; it does not replace the Expedition access requirements listed above.
The selected difficulty and multiplier are displayed in the Endless Ascent start window. Elite enemy score rewards were also doubled in v0.705.
These values replaced the ×1 / ×3 / ×9 / ×27 multipliers announced in The Cursed Update.
Build Preparation
Presets and Loadouts allow players to prepare different configurations before starting an expedition.
Owned Prayers are saved with the hero's Loadout. Prayer and weapon refunds were increased to 100% in The Endless Ascent update, making it easier to rearrange the available build options.
Practical Tips
- Use the first 15 levels to develop your build before the Endless phase begins.
- Prepare for repeated boss encounters as well as groups of regular enemies.
- Check the selected difficulty and score multiplier before starting a leaderboard attempt.
- Use Quit and Save to preserve a run you intend to continue.
Desert — The Sealed Testament
The Desert is a separate expedition through ancient ruins and a forgotten temple. Its story concerns the Book of Judgments, an ancient text that must be secured before it falls into demonic hands.
For its story description, see The Sealed Testament.
How to Access
Complete the main campaign on Mercy difficulty or above to unlock access through the Expedition Map in the Cathedral.
The Desert is available from Nightmare difficulty. It does not require completing The Endless Ascent.
Expedition Structure
- The expedition contains 10 longer waves.
- Its environments include desert ruins and a forgotten temple.
- Ophaniel appears at the end of Wave 10.
- The expedition has a defined conclusion and does not transition into Endless Mode.
Events and Curses
The Desert includes Events such as the Cursed Shrine.
Activating a Cursed Shrine applies a Minor Curse for the current wave in exchange for double Ashes from demon kills.
This is separate from the regular Curse selections on Inferno difficulty and above. Those Curses remain active until the end of the Act rather than lasting for a single wave.
Progression
The Cursed Update changed difficulty progression so that unlocking Inferno and Torment requires completing the Desert campaign.
Difficulty Levels
Difficulty levels modify the challenge within the available modes.
- Mercy
- Nightmare
- Inferno
- Torment
Higher difficulties can change enemy behavior and introduce additional threats.
Regular Curse selections appear on Inferno and above, with more selections at higher difficulty. Elite enemies also appear on Inferno and Torment, with more frequent appearances on Torment.
Exception: The Endless Ascent does not use regular Curse selections.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Endless Mode begin?
The Endless phase begins on Level 16, after defeating Rector on Level 15.
Do I need to complete Endless to unlock the Desert?
No. They are separate Expeditions unlocked through main campaign progression.
Does every mode have 15 waves?
No. Each main campaign Act has 15 waves, The Endless Ascent has 15 introductory levels before its Endless phase, and the Desert contains 10 longer waves.
Are Curses active in The Endless Ascent?
No. The mode is excluded from the regular Curse system.
Can I continue an Endless run after quitting?
Yes. Endless saves are preserved on quitting or crashing, and the run resumes from the beginning of the last Endless wave.
Are old leaderboard results deleted when a new season begins?
Previous results are preserved in the in-game Leaderboard History.
